Welcome to building.co.uk. This site uses cookies. Read our policy.

All-in costs
The following ranges represent indicative current “all-in” costs typical around the country for these items inclusive of edge detailing, abutments, angles and so on:
 £/m2
20 mm thick two-coat asphalt roofing, including felt underlay, insulation and vapour control barrier55-75
Single-layer polymer roofing membrane, including insulation and vapour control barrier60-75
High performance bitumen felt roofing system, including insulation and vapour control barrier70-80
Waterproofing
 UnitTypical low rate £Typical mean rate £
MASTIC ASPHALT TANKING/DAMPPROOF MEMBRANES   
Mastic asphalt BS 6925 Type T, 30 mm, one coat, covered, flat or slopingm219.7520.50
Polymer modified mastic asphalt tanking, 3 coats, 20mm thick, verticalm255.0060.00
MASTIC ASPHALT ROOFING   
20 mm two-coat roofing with felt isolating membranem2150016.00
Internal angle filletm5.005.50
LIQUID APPLIED TANKING/DAMPPROOF MEMBRANES   
Cold applied DPM, two coatsm27.508.25
FLEXIBLE SHEET TANKING/DAMPPROOF MEMBRANES   
Polyethylene 1200 gauge flat to blinded surfacesm20.400.45
vertical to concretem20.650.70
Polypropylene geotextile filterm20.500.55
Underground structure waterproofing membrane of polypropylene geotextiles enclosing granular sodium bentonitem26.006.50
Bituthene DPM including plywood protection on concrete: horizontalm218.0019.50
verticalm220.0021.00
BUILT-UP FELT ROOF COVERINGS   
Top quality torch-applied vapour barrier, underlay and capping sheet with rigid polyurethane insulationm270.0075.00
Skirting not exceeding 200 mm girthm12.0012.50
SINGLE LAYER PLASTICS ROOF COVERINGS   
1.2 mm PVC membrane, fully adhered on vapour control layerm215.0016.50
1.2 mm PVC membrane, fixed on vapour control layer and 80 mm insulationm245.0050.00
200mm thick Rockwool rigid insulation board, fully bonded m220.0022.50
Rockwool insulation board cut to falls, average 75mm thick, fully bondedm230.0035.00
Building materials
Key indicators
 % change over past nine months Apr 2003-Jan 2004% change over past 12 months Jan 2003-Jan 2004
Consumer prices   
Consumer Prices Index (CPI)+0.4+1.4
Retail Prices Index (RPI)+1.0 +2.6
All items excluding mortgage interest payments (RPIX)+0.8+2.4
All items excluding mortgage interest payments and indirect taxes (RPIY)+0.8 +2.0
Industry generally  
Materials and fuels purchased by manufacturing industry+1.40
of which materials +0.2-0.3
fuel+15.0+3.9
Materials and fuels purchased by manufacturing industry excluding food, beverages, tobacco and petroleum industries-1.30
Output prices of manufactured products+0.8+1.6
Output prices of manufactured products excluding food, beverages, tobacco and petroleum+0.9+1.4
Construction industry  
Construction materials+0.7 1 +2.3 2
Housebuilding materials+1.1 1+2.5 2
Machinery and equipment (U.K. manufacture)+0.7+1.0
Electrical machinery and apparatus (U.K. manufacture) +0.4+0.5
Source: Office for National Statistics (January 2004 figures provisional)1 April to Dec 2003 (DTI figures)
2 Dec 2002 to Dec 2003 (DTI figures)
Notes: The ONS category of machinery and equipment includes mechanical engineering items such as pumps, taps, valves, lifts, cooling and ventilation equipment. Electrical machinery and apparatus includes electrical engineering materials such as electricity distribution and control apparatus, wires and cables and lighting equipment.
Construction materials price changes
ItemApril 2003-Jan 2004
Sand and gravel -4.7
Coated roadstone-2.6
Timber windows, doors and frames+9.0
Plastic sanitary ware+2.2
Cement-2.2
Ready mixed concrete-4.7
Bituminous mixtures+2.4
Lead, zinc and tin products+19.6
Copper tubes and fittings+7.1
Kitchen furniture+7.4
Sawn softwood (imported)+2.2
Veneers, plywood etc (imported)-8.3
(Source: ONS Producer Price Indices)
Commodities
Metals April 03-Jan 04 Jan 03-Jan 04
Primary aluminium+20.4+17.5
Copper+50.8+44.7
Lead+66.7+63.5
Zinc+33.8+35.9
(Source: London Metal Exchange – three-month buyer prices)
Price adjustment formulae for construction contracts
 % change July 2003-Jan 2004
Pavings: coated macadam and asphalt-3.4
Finishes: bitumen, resin and rubber latex flooring -1.8
Concrete: insitu -1.7
Insulation-1.5
Those work categories registering the highest increases over this period are shown below:
Cladding and covering: lead +9.6
Cladding and covering: copper +4.6
Pipes and accessories: copper +4.3
Sanitary appliances +2.5
Pipes and accessories: plastics +2.5
Pipes and accessories: aluminium +2.4
Piling: steel +2.0
Fencing +2.0
Pipes and accessories: steel +2.0
Joint Industry Board for the Elecrical Contracting Industry hourly rates
  National standard rates London rates
 Transport providedOwn transportTransport providedOwn transport
Grade£/hour£/hour£/hour£/hour
Technician or equivalent specialist grade 11.8512.4512.9613.62
Approved electrician or equivalent specialist grade10.4511.0511.5312.18
Electrician or equivalent specialist grade9.5910.1910.6711.28
Electrical improver8.639.179.6810.24
Labourer7.618.188.609.20
Senior graded electrical trainee8.639.179.6810.24
Adult trainee7.618.188.609.20
Adult trainee (under 21)5.716.136.657.10
Wage agreement summary for major wage-fixing bodies
OperativesAgreement bodyWage rates effective sinceDetails inDate of next review
Builders and civil engineering operativesConstruction Industry Joint Council30 June 2003Cost Update 6 June 2003 Spon’s Architects’ and Builders’ Price book 200428 June 2004
 Building & Allied Trades Joint Industrial Council9 June 2003Cost Update 6 June 2003 Spon’s Architects’ and Builders’ Price book 2004Expected to be June 2004
PlumbersThe Joint Industry Board for Plumbing Mechanical Engineering Services in England and Wales5 January 2004Details in this issue3 January 2005
 Scottish and Northern Ireland Joint Industry Board for the Plumbing Industry7 April 2003Cost Update 6 June 200322 March 2004
Heating and ventilating operativesJoint Conciliation Committee of the Heating, Ventilating and Domestic Engineering Industry3 November 2003Cost Update 5 December 20034 October 2004
ElectriciansThe Joint Industry Board for the Electrical Contracting Industry5 January 2004Spon’s Architects’ and Builders’ Price book 2004Likely to be January 2005
 Scottish Joint Industry Board for the Electrical Contracting Industry5 January 2004Details in this issueLikely to be January 2005